Dell's Alienware as a brand is synonymous to making some killer gaming hardware in the fanciest package possible, with all the bells and whistles. And this year, we've got our hands on the Dell Alienware m15 R2 gaming notebook which comes with top-notch specs and a hefty price tag of Rs 2,51,000. Here's what I liked and disliked about the Alienware m15 R2.
The Alienware m15 R2 gets a beautiful 15.6-inch 4K OLED panel with a resolution of 3840 x 2160 pixels. The display also gets 60hz refresh rate with HDR-400 for vibrant contrasts. This has been one of the best displays I've seen on a gaming notebook or even a notebook.
The images were crisp, colours were vibrant, blacks were dark and the viewing angles were perfect. The display got bright enough while working in areas with ample light, thus to prevent glare. I just hated the fact that it was so glossy, and a matte finish would have been just perfect on this.
The thing that will completely mesmerise you on the m15 R2 is the design. Alienware has taken a slightly minimal approach with the aesthetics on this machine this time. We got our hands on the Lunar White colour variant and the matte finish looked really sick, and made me feel like a Stormtrooper working for the Empire.?
The notebook as toned down its LED lighting zones from its previous models, but still manages to create the Alienware charm. There are three places where the gaming notebook has RGB LED lighting zones -- At the air vent in the form of a loop, the keyboard and the Alienware logo on the lid. All these zones can be controlled using Alienware's Command Centre software.
The construction of the notebook has been made using magnesium alloy, which helps in making the m15 R2 not just light (weighing at just 2.1kgs), but also strong. The top section of the keyboard area has the hexagonal shapes for air grille (with larger ones at the bottom) that pull cold air inside and release it from the outlet at the back.?
I was happy to see Dell didn't skimp on the I/O on the m15 R2. The machine comes equipped with three USB 3.1 Gen 1 ports, with one supporting PowerShare (which would allow you to charge your phone even if the laptop is turned off), a Thunderbolt 3 with DisplayPort and an Alienware Graphics Amplifier Port to connect external graphics cards.
You also get an RJ-45 Gigabit Ethernet Port by Killer (that is known to deliver superior network performance), an HDMI 2.0 port to hook your laptop to a TV or a monitor, a Mini-display 1.4 Port and a 3.4mm audio jack.?
Thoroughly impressed with the I/O, no compromises here!
Another place where Alienware hasn't skimped on is the choice of hardware that this gaming machine packs. For the processor, we've got Intel's 9th generation Core i7 9750H, clocked at 2.60GHz. This is paired with 16GB of DDR4 memory and 1TB PCIe M.2 SSD for blazing fast load times. In the graphics department,? we've got the powerful Nvidia RTX 2070 MaxQ GPU that manages to deliver desktop-grade GPU performance without making the gaming machine bulky or thick.
We ran a few benchmarks and the m15 R2 passed with flying colours. It even scored admirably on all the 3DMark 11 tests.
This thing can definitely run any game you throw at it at the best looking settings possible.?
I also spent my weekend playing Ubisoft's Division 2, Need For Speed Payback, Apex Legends and some Fortnite, and the laptop was easily able to deliver framerates over 100fps on average, when playing on full-HD on Ultra, and around 60fps when gaming in 4K.?
The keyboard and trackpad on the Alienware m15 R2 are one of the best I've used on a notebook. The travel distance is satisfying and the key spacing is perfect too. I really enjoyed typing long articles or chat on IM with my friends on it, while also being perfect for gaming.?
While the keyboard is amazing with its satisfying typing experience and keycap size, we would have loved to see a full-sized layout with a numpad to the side.?
?And with so much of space to the sides, Dell could have easily accommodated a full-sized keyboard layout for this.?
While Lunar White looks beautiful and pristine, it is also the most susceptible to getting dirty. The matte finish on top doesn't help this situation either. We would have loved to see an all matte-black version, or some other colour options apart from just the white.?
This is a problem all gaming laptops suffer from. With the cooling solution and hardware these notebooks come equipped with, getting a decent battery life is almost impossible. The 76 Whr battery managed to get a good 2 hours with the fan on lower-medium settings for normal web-browsing and video playback. Sure, a machine like this is essentially desktop-replacement and not something that you'd use to play on the go, but if you ever tried to do that, don't expect it to last very long.?
The stereo speaker setup on the Alienware works fine, but nothing that will completely blow your mind. It has good stereo separation but just isn't loud and impactful as you'd want it to be during gaming. I'll strongly recommend you stick to a pair of good headphones or external speakers to get the best gaming experience.?
Dell Alienware m15 R2 offers a feature-loaded premium package that closely justifies its Rs 2,51,000 price tag. It performs well, looks amazing, and is light enough to carry in your backpack without any hassles. Just make sure you keep the pristine white body away from stains, and you're good to go.